How It Could Have Been
by kelekona
Summary: What would have happened if Qui-Gon hadn't died and had taken Anakin on as his Padawan? What would have happened if Anakin hadn't turned...but someone else did? I don't own SW! We all know this!
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars…etc…etc…etc. (If that isn't enough for you legal people then I will say for your own sakes: it belongs to George Lucas and anyone else who has claim on it. There happy?)  
  
The Beginning  
  
Everything is changed because Qui Gon didn't actually died, instead he almost died, in-fact they actually though he was going to die, but he didn't. Because he defeated Darth Maul Obi-Wan was promoted to Jedi Knight and the council granted Qui Gon permission to take Anakin on as his Padawan Learner. Anakin and Obi-Wan over time became friends, Obi-Wan took on an apprentice. Anakin and Padme got back together again and fell in love. Palpatine tried to turn Anakin to the Dark Side, but Anakin didn't go over. Palpatine did find someone else to be his apprentice, but he was very angry at Anakin for refusing him. The Clone Wars took place; Obi-Wan, Anakin and Qui Gon fought in them; Anakin became a Jedi Knight; Anakin and Padme got married; Palpatine rose to power; Padme became pregnant with Luke and Leia; Jedi Purge came; Padme had Luke and Leia; Padme, Anakin, Luke and Leia had to separate for their own safety. Leia was sent to Aldaraan to live under the care of Bail Organa. She became friends with Winter. Padme was sent to a mid-rim world; she mostly stayed there until the Rebellion. Anakin went to an outer-rim world and also stayed there until he got a whiff of the Rebellion. Yoda still went to Degobagh. Qui Gon more or less traveled around. Anakin and Padme asked Obi-Wan to take care of Luke and make him his Padawan, Obi-Wan agreed (albeit a little reluctantly because his first Padawan was the one who became Palpatine's apprentice.) He took Luke and himself to Tatooine, but on the way they had to stop on a planet for supplies (don't ask me what planet it was, I don't know.) While there Obi-Wan saw a woman carrying a child being chased down by Imperial guards, he helped her get away from them. They head for his ship, but when they were almost there the woman was shot. She kept going and made it aboard the ship. Obi-Wan took off, they went through a typical fight-to-get-out- of-the-system-alive scene, and did. Once in hyperspace Obi-Wan went back to check on the woman, her child and Luke. When he got back there the woman was lying on the couch, bleeding profusely from the left side of her chest. Obi-Wan immediately set about trying to save her life, but she stopped him and knowingly told him that it was too late, that it had hit her heart. She asked him to care for her daughter, Mara Jade. Then she died. Obi-Wan realizes that Mara is Force sensitive and takes both she and Luke with him to Tatooine, raises them and takes them on as his Padawan Learners.  
  
And so our story begins… 


	2. The First Day

The First Day  
  
Obi Wan Kenobi stood in the doorway of the room in which he had spent the last half an hour. He looked upon the two children sleeping in the bed, both weren't yet a year old and both of their faces were tear stained from hours crying.  
  
Obi Wan rubbed his face tiredly, took one last look at the children then turned and left. He went to a small room and sat down at the com-station. He initiated a connection to Aldaraan. After a few seconds the face of Bail Organa appeared a mirror of how Obi Wan felt.  
  
"Bail."  
  
"Obi Wan," Bail replied, "Long day?"  
  
Obi Wan nodded, "We arrived about half an hour ago, more or less safely, but we picked up another passenger along the way."  
  
Bail looked confused.  
  
"I am now the guardian of Mara Jade, a Force sensitive little girl about Luke's age, as well as Luke," Obi Wan explained.  
  
"And how did this come about?" Bail asked an eyebrow raised.  
  
"Her father, from what I could gather, is dead, her mother died on my ship after saving Mara from Imperial troopers. She asked me to take care of Mara just before she died."  
  
A sad smile appeared on Bail's face, "You didn't want to take on one Padawan and now you have two."  
  
Obi Wan smiled sadly in return grateful for Bail's attempt to lighten the mood.  
  
"The bittersweet irony," Obi Wan said sadly.  
  
"One that might actually help you," Bail said quietly looking at Obi Wan in a way that had always made Obi Wan feel that Bail didn't need the Force to convince people to do what he wanted them to do, "Are they alright?" he asked changing the subject.  
  
"They spent the last few hours crying and have only just cried themselves to sleep a few minutes ago," Obi Wan paused, "Luke asked me if the same thing was going to happen to his parents…I didn't have an answer for him."  
  
Bail nodded understandingly, "Leia cried herself to sleep too, asking for her mother, father and brother. I wish I could have given them to her."  
  
Obi Wan nodded in agreement, he had been wishing the same thing, for both Luke and Mara, but he was also wishing that there had been no need to separate them from their families.  
  
"Do you have any idea where Anakin and Padmé might be?" Bail asked.  
  
"Only that one of them is in the mid-rim and the other is in the outer-rim. I don't know which one is where, Qui Gon and Yoda thought it safer for it to be that way."  
  
Bail nodded.  
  
"Do you think we'll make it?" he asked.  
  
Obi Wan rubbed his hand over his chin thoughtfully, "I have wondered that myself, but I have no answers, only the Force knows."  
  
Bail nodded, "We had best break this off, may the Force be with you," he said.  
  
"And you, the Force knows we'll need its help," Obi Wan wryly replied.  
  
Bail chuckled and cut the transmition.  
  
Obi Wan sat back for a few minutes thinking. Then he got up and walked to the room where Mara and Luke were sleeping. He silently watched them sleep. It was the perfect picture of peace. That is what Obi Wan hoped that they would help to someday bring back to the galaxy. In the mean time he thought that perhaps Bail was right. Maybe they would be the ones to start Obi Wan's healing. That moment Obi Wan swore that whatever happened that they would become Jedi.  
  
"You will become Jedi…I promise," he murmured, and then quietly shut the door. 


	3. A Mother's Tears

Thank you so much everyone who reviewed my piece, it got me really excited to write this part. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
  
I was told that part of Padmé's conversation with Tan Klan was unclear as to whom they were referring to so I am revising it so that it will be clearer who it is that they are talking about.  
  
~*~  
  
A Mother's Tears  
  
Padmé Naberrié Amidala Skywalker stood in front of a window looking down upon the lush world of Ithor. It was a breath taking sight, but it did nothing to sooth the pain in her heart.  
  
She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a small holoprojector and she turned it on. An image of herself holding Leia and of Anakin holding Luke appeared. Tears stung her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. She missed them so much, all she wanted was to be with her family, to hold and cuddle Luke and Leia, to have Anakin hold her and tell her he loved her.  
  
A tear slipped down her cheek, she closed her eyes and remembered the feel of Luke and Leia in her arms. Luke had Anakin's blond hair and blue eyes, he would be just as handsome as him. Leia had Padmé's coloring, Padmé often wondered if she would be involved in politics like she had been.  
  
Padmé heard someone coming up behind her, she turned off the projector and did her best to compose herself.  
  
Is there anything you need, My Lady? the voice of an Ithorian asked.  
  
She turned and looked at the speaker.  
  
"Thank you, but I am fine. Everything here is lovely," she hoped that her voice didn't quaver too much.  
  
You miss your family. Tan Klan stated gently.  
  
Tears rose up in her eyes.  
  
"Yes."  
  
I share your pain. My son was killed in the war and my daughter has gone to the forest floor.  
  
"I am sorry," Padmé said placing a comforting hand on his arm.  
  
He died bravely, my wife and I are proud of him.  
  
"I thought your people didn't believe in war," Padmé said, confused.  
  
We do not like war, but our son saw that he was needed to protect what he loved. He will be honored among our people. he told her.  
  
"It still must be hard to lose a child," Padmé said.  
  
Yes, some wounds never go away, but they all begin to heal with time.  
  
Padmé nodded.  
  
You will see this some day.  
  
"I do not fear so much my wounds as those I have inflicted, however indirectly, on the galaxy," she told him hanging her head.  
  
You fear both, but do not worry, he fooled us all, few will blame you. You are loved by many, that is why he feared you so. Tan Klan told her.  
  
Padmé closed her eyes. "I was so blind," she said quietly, "how could I not have seen him for what he was?"  
  
As I told you before, he fooled everyone, even the Jedi. Tan Klan gently reminded her. Do not take more than is your due.  
  
"I can't help it," she said, "I helped him become Chancellor, he was of my planet. I should have stopped him when I had the chance and not taken his advice to call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum."  
  
You will learn with time not to. he told her You should rest My Lady. You have had a long restless day and you will know many more before you know peace.  
  
Padmé nodded.  
  
May your dreams be those of a better time…for us all.  
  
"Thank you, the same for you."  
  
Tan Klan nodded. He bowed to Padmé, turned and left.  
  
Padmé went to her room, she got undressed, sipped on a night gown and let down her hair. She walked toward her bed and paused. She turned back to where she had lain her dress, reached into the pocket and pulled out the holoprojector. She set it on the nightstand and turned it on. Then she climbed in bed. She lay there looking at the holo, wishing with all her heart that she could go back to that day and be with her family. Tears slid down her cheeks silently. She cried, she cried for her family, her friends, her galaxy, she cried late into the night. She never remembered falling to sleep, only that her sleep was mercifully dreamless. For the first time in months she was able to forget everything that had happened. For the first time in months she was able to sleep soundly.  
  
~*~  
  
I think I misspelled Valorum, I will have to check on that and fix it ASAP. I also caught some errors when I looked back over this to revise it (I had done it in a hurry.) I hope the additions cleared things up a little, thank you for reviewing! I will try to get part 3 up by tomorrow, but I can't guarantee it, it is going to be a crazy day. 


	4. Insomnia, Hopes and Promises

Sorry about the little mistake earlier with having two "A Mother's Tears." When I was trying to replace the original with the updated version I accidentally told it to upload a new chapter instead of replace the old one, so I am sorry about that. But here is the real next part.  
  
~*~  
  
Insomnia, Hopes and Promises  
  
Bail ran as fast as he could to the nursery, he had heard Leia crying, but when he got to the doorway he saw he needn't have worried. Sabé sat in a rocking chair with Leia in her arms. Leia's sobs had quieted down to an occasional hiccup and a whimper of Mummy, Daddy and Luke.  
  
"Shh…it's ok Leia, it's ok," Sabé told her soothingly.  
  
Sabé gently rocked her. Leia sniffled and snuggled closer, laying her head on Sabe's left breast so she could hear her reassuring heartbeat.  
  
Sabé started singing a song to Leia as she rocked her.  
  
"On the wind  
  
'Cross the sea  
  
Hear this song and  
  
Remember  
  
Soon you'll be  
  
Home with me  
  
Once upon a December  
  
Someone holds me safe and warm  
  
Horses prance through a silver storm  
  
Figures dancing gracefully  
  
Across my memory"  
  
She hummed the tune for a bit then started singing again.  
  
"Someone holds me safe and warm  
  
Horses prance through a silver storm  
  
Figures dancing gracefully  
  
Across my memory  
  
Far away long ago  
  
Glowing dim as an ember  
  
Things my heart  
  
Used to know  
  
Things it yearns to remember  
  
And a song  
  
Someone sings  
  
Once upon a December."  
  
By the end of the song Leia was asleep. Sabé continued to hold her, rocking in the chair, as if she was worried that Leia would wake up again. Then Bail noticed that her cheeks were wet, she was crying. This caused Bail pain, he cared greatly for Sabé, and she for him. He had even asked her to marry him, but she had declined saying, "We are the dearest of friends, Bail, but we do not care for each other like that. If we got married we would only be cheating ourselves." She was right too, they did not love each other like that, it was more like brother and sister. Bail also knew that her heart longed for another. She loved one man, he had been forbidden to fall in love, but he had none the less and they were forced to hide their feelings for one another. They probably could have been together now because the rules that had bound him were no longer enforced, but everything was so insane in the galaxy now that they both knew that they should wait.  
  
Now Bail stood there, unable to go and comfort her for some reason, watching her weep for many reasons: for her galaxy, her planet, her people, for her friends, for Leia, for her family…and for her love.  
  
Finally Sabé stood up, gently placed Leia in her bed and tucked her in. Bail left while she was tucking Leia in.  
  
He went to his office to finish up some work. A little later he got up to strech, he walked over to the large window and looked out. He was not that surprised when he saw Sabé walking in the gardens, insomnia was now very much a part of her, he just hoped that it someday would not be.  
  
~*~  
  
Sabé sat on the edge of a fountain and looked into the water; she allowed the memories that she had been holding back to wash over her, bringing tears to her eyes. One stood out sharply in her mind.  
  
***  
  
"Sabé," his firm, but gentle, accented voice reverberated through her. She turned and looked at him, her heart breaking.  
  
"I love you," he told her, his blue eyes boring into hers, "Never doubt that."  
  
"I love you too," she whispered back.  
  
"Wait for me?" he asked her. She knew that he truly was giving her a choice, that he would be willing to let her go if it would make her happy.  
  
"Even if it took an eternity, I would," she promised.  
  
His eyes never left hers. He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them. Then they leaned toward each other and their lips met. The kiss was long and sweet, Sabé knew this would be the last kiss they would share for a long time. Sabé could taste her tears as they slipped down her cheeks.  
  
***  
  
"I will wait for you Obi Wan, though I hope it doesn't take an eternity," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.  
  
~*~  
  
On Tatooine Obi Wan tossed and turned in bed trying to sleep. He finally gave up, he had tried not to think of her but who was he kidding? She was always there.  
  
He had been one of the few people who hadn't flipped when it came out that Anakin and Padmé were married, part of it was that he had suspected they had done so, another part was that if he were to criticize Anakin he would have been a hypocrite, a big part of it was that Anakin was one of his closest friends and, to top it all off, he knew how Anakin felt.  
  
Obi Wan lay there and thought of the last time he saw Sabé, it had been less than half an hour before he left. They had been standing in the empty balcony of the hotel that they all had been hiding out in until they could finish the arrangements to leave. She had been hurting because she knew that he was leaving and that it would be a long time before they saw each other again. She had promised to wait for him, even if it took an eternity.  
  
He hoped that it wouldn't take an eternity; that they could be together in a few years, but in these unstable times…who knew?  
  
He remembered their last kiss, he had tasted her tears and it had broken his heart, but they had both known their duty.  
  
"It won't take an eternity, Sabé, I promise," he murmured in the dark, and Obi Wan Kenobi always kept his promises.  
  
~*~  
  
OK that's part 3, this whole story is going to follow the original plot pretty closely, but I can't help adding in little twists and I always wondered what would happen if Obi Wan had fallen in love, because in the original story line I don't think he ever did. I may later on write an additional fic as to how Sabé and Obi fell in love. But that is beside the point. Is it ok to have them fall in love? Yes? No? Let me know. Anywho thank you to those who have reviewed so far, they have been great encouragement to write more! 


	5. Thoughts and Alone

Sorry this is so late, things got crazy last week. And this week I was supposed to leave on vacation but two days before we were to leave that became debatable and then went totally out the window, no. I can't say that I am too sorry about not being able to go, though, two people I know were going to be there, one hates me and the other is some one I would rather not hang out with. Anywho here's the story.  
  
~*~  
  
Thoughts and Alone  
  
Anakin Skywalker was climbing around the inside of a ship, trying to find what was wrong with it, the owner had said he would give Anakin a lift to where ever he needed to go if he fixed it. Anakin had always been good with mechanics, but this ship was being difficult. He was covered in grease, fuel and the Force only knew what else.  
  
"No. No. No," he kept muttering to himself every time he checked something.  
  
"No, Sith spit! This is annoying!" he spat out quietly under his breath, if anyone heard him swear like that he would be a dead man. The Sith were in control now, only Jedi and rebels still swore like that.  
  
He maneuvered himself a little further forward between the outer hull and the engine. The he saw what he had been looking for, a broken wire.  
  
"Thank the Force!" he muttered even more quietly than the swear.  
  
He quickly reconnected the wire, and heard noises that signaled that he had fixed it.  
  
A commlink on his belt bleeped; Anakin reached down and answered it.  
  
"I don't know how you did it Lars, but you fixed my ship!" the voice at the other end said.  
  
"It was a wire that was really far in here, it doesn't surprise me that no one caught it before, I almost missed it myself," Anakin told him.  
  
"Well what ever you did thanks; now I will keep my end of the bargain and take you to Ord Mantell."  
  
"Thanks, Rast. I'll just get myself out of here and into the ship."  
  
"And here I thought you were staying in there so long because you were nice and comfy."  
  
"Yeah, as comfortable as a Bantha on Hoth," Anakin replied dryly.  
  
"I'll get the ship prepped," Rast said.  
  
"Right," Anakin answered, then they ended the conversation.  
  
It was still weird to hear himself called "Lars" Anakin thought as he slid out of the crawl area, but he had needed an alias since Skywalker was a well known name. So he had decided to go by the name of his stepfamily, the Larses.  
  
With that thought Anakin began to wonder how his stepfamily was. Cleigg had died a few years ago; Beru and Owen had gotten married about a year before that. Anakin had gone back to Tattoine for the funeral with Padmé, Obi Wan and Sabé. Anakin and Padmé had been rather confused as to why he had insisted on coming at the time, Obi Wan had not been with them when they had gone to Tattoine to find Anakin's mother and they doubted that there was any other time that he could have met them. Once they arrived it was made known how Obi Wan knew Cleigg, Cleigg had been his biological father and Owen was his half brother. Owen and Beru had greeted Anakin with the small amount of familiarity they had been able to build between them through Shmi's death and Anakin's short amount of time with them. They had greeted Padmé with warmth, and Sabé with warmth as well. But they, especially Owen, had not known how to react to Obi Wan. Owen had known that his father had been married once before he married Owen's mother and that they had had a son, but not much else. While they were there Obi Wan and Owen had talked some and tried to get to know one another, but Anakin sensed that they were not that much closer than when Obi Wan first landed on the planet.  
  
Anakin sighed and shook his head at those thoughts, he knew that Owen blamed Obi Wan for Martel, Obi Wan's apprentice, going to the Dark Side and doing all of the terrible things that he had done…like forcing Anakin's family apart. "How can you defend him? It was his apprentice that turned and because of that you will have to separate from Padmé and the children!" Owen had said incredulously the last time Anakin had talked to him. "Because he is my friend, just as you are, and it was not he who turned to the Dark Side, but Martel. I can't blame him for someone else's choices," Anakin had told him, trying not to get Owen mad at him as well. He did not want to loose either Owen's or Obi Wan's friendship, but it was hard being stuck in the middle. Anakin rubbed his hands over his face tiredly as he walked up into the ship.  
  
"Hey Lars!" Rast called from the cockpit, "You in here yet?"  
  
"Yeah, just let me get my self into a seat before you start us up," Anakin replied.  
  
Anakin got into a seat in the lounge area and buckled the crash webbing just in time as the ship took off and soon after that they were in hyperspace.  
  
Rast came back to the lounge, "I'm going to go get some shut eye, call me if anything interesting happens," Rast said the last part with a laugh, nothing in his opinion interesting ever happened.  
  
"Right," Anakin assured him, with a smile that looked genuine, but was really rather forced.  
  
Anakin didn't want to be left alone, because when he was alone all he had were his thoughts of what had happened, how it was going to be a long time before he saw Padmé again and an even longer time before he saw Leia or Luke.  
  
Anakin reached into his small bag that contained all of his possessions, and pulled out a small holo projector. He turned it on, the holo the exact one that Padmé had. He studied each face, knowing that the next time any of them saw each other they wouldn't be the same people as in the picture, in more ways than one. He placed his head in his hands wondering where they all were right now and what they were doing. He then thought of his closest friends: Obi Wan, Qui Gon and Sabé. He remembered the look on Sabé and Obi Wan's faces when he left, that look had caused Anakin great pain to see it. Anakin knew that Obi Wan was deeply in love with Sabé and she with him, but both had stuck to their duties and not gotten married. Anakin wondered if they regretted not getting married. Anakin shook his head, 'It doesn't do to dwell on the past,' he sternly reminded himself, 'keep your mind in the present where it belongs,' he thought, using his former Master's oft used phrase for when Anakin's mind wandered to other things. He smiled at his use of the reprimand, he wondered how Qui Gon was doing, probably traveling all over the galaxy checking on everyone. That was how Qui Gon was, he wanted to protect and save everyone. But Anakin knew he shouldn't talk, he was almost the exact same way. Anakin again smiled at this.  
  
Then his face became serious, he hoped that they were all safe.  
  
Anakin sat up and ran his hands through his hair, 'Well it won't do any of them any good if I allow my self to become worn out,' he told himself.  
  
He turned off the holo and put it away. Then he sat back and closed his eyes, hoping for sleep to come, 'Yeah right,' he thought to himself. 


	6. What To Do

I have just recently started reading the JA books and have discovered that Qui-Gon and a character named Tahl fall in love. Now when I started this story I knew of Tahl, I knew that she and Qui-Gon grew up together in the Temple and were best friends, I also knew that she died in one of the JA books. It wasn't till later that I got to the part where they fall in love. The reason I am saying this is that I made up a character that Qui- Gon grew up with as well and in my story falls in love with. I want to get it out that I did not purposely screw this up, Tahl has become one of my favorite characters and I am really upset that she died, so don't think that I did this to rip on Tahl/Qui-Gon. What may also upset you is that I, unintentionally, made my character a whole flippen a lot like Tahl:  
  
The character I made up is called Aurora, she is 5 years younger than Qui- Gon, she actually wasn't discovered by the Temple until she was 8. Qui-Gon and his master discovered her while out on a mission. Her father had abused her, but her mother, who had died when she was 5 had been very gentle and had taught Aurora to be so. Thus she didn't feel hate for her father and the Council, after long, heated deliberations allowed her to become an Initiate. Qui-Gon introduced her to his friends and they allowed her to become a member of their "group." She turned out to be very good with computers, electronics, research and academics. At ten years old her vocal cords were irreparably damaged in a gas leak and she was never able to speak again. She was soon afterwards taken on as a Padawan. She went on to become a Knight. I TPM she and another of her and Qui-Gon's friends were sent with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan when they returned to Naboo and they helped with the duel with the Sith. A year before AOTC she disappeared while on a mission by herself, the Temple lost all contact with her and no one could find her.  
  
Those of you who have read the JA books can see the similarities, all I had known at the time that I made her up was what I told you all before so it was completely by accident. Tahl will be mentioned in the story, but as one of Qui-Gon and Aurora's best friends. Anywho, I hope I don't offend anyone with this. Thank you soooo.much Celestia Vitaria for reviewing!  
  
~*~  
  
What To Do  
  
Qui-Gon Jin sat in Yoda's new home on Degobah, it was a tiny hut. It was the perfect size for Yoda, but it had been hard for the big Jedi to get in and once inside he dominated the space. Yoda would be very much alone on this planet; he was the only sentient being on Degobah. Qui-Gon, however, understood Yoda's reasons for choosing this place, he understood the Jedi Master's need for peace, he and many others shared that need after the destruction of the war and the purge. Qui-Gon was still reeling under the recent blow of the death of his friend and fellow Jedi Master, Mace Windu, from which Yoda was also hurting.  
  
The diminutive Master was currently making a soup for their dinner.  
  
"Where go you now?" Yoda asked in his inverted speech, drawing Qui-Gon out of his reverie.  
  
"I'm not sure," Qui-Gon answered.  
  
"Find the remainder of your group perhaps you will," Yoda suggested, handing Qui-Gon a bowl of soup and a spoon.  
  
Qui-Gon knew that Yoda was talking about the group that Qui-Gon had grown up with: Mace, Zed Agon, Meelain, Tahl and Aurora. Zed had died not long after Aurora, the youngest in the group, had received her Knighthood. Tahl had died while Obi-Wan was still Qui-Gon's Padawan. And just a standard week ago Mace had been killed. Their group had been halved in size; only three of the six of them were left, as far as Qui-Gon knew. He knew that it was possible that he was the only one left. None of the Order had heard from Aurora in years and Meelain had told Qui-Gon that she had a few stops to make before she went home. Qui-Gon hadn't heard from her in the three days since they had left Coruscant.  
  
Qui-Gon shook his head. "Why would I do that?" he asked looking at Yoda as he stirred his soup.  
  
"Find your friends, you should. Especially one who has been gone long," Yoda answered him, ladling out some soup for himself.  
  
Qui-Gon stared down at his soup, stirring it slowly, thoughtfully with his spoon.  
  
"She hasn't contacted any of us in years. Why would she want to hear from us now?" Qui-Gon never once looked at Yoda when he said this.  
  
Even though Qui-Gon was doing his best to hide his emotions, Yoda still sensed the hurt radiating off of him.  
  
"Unable to contact anyone she might be," Yoda told Qui-Gon seriously, "Keep her from doing so someone might be."  
  
Qui-Gon looked up at him, worry evident on his face.  
  
"You think someone is preventing her from reaching us?"  
  
"A possibility this is."  
  
Qui-Gon's jaw clenched.  
  
"Master Qui-Gon, prefer it I would, break the spoon and bowl you would not."  
  
Qui-Gon glanced at his hands and saw that he was griping the spoon and bowl tightly. Qui Gon forced himself to relax his grip. He took deep calming breaths.  
  
"My apologies Master Yoda," Qui-Gon said.  
  
"Alright it is Qui-Gon," Yoda assured him, "Protective always have you been of her."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded, eating his soup as best he could, he knew there was no use denying the fact that he was protective of Aurora, everyone who had known them knew this.  
  
"Perhaps feel more for her do you?" Yoda suggested tilting his head to the side.  
  
Qui-Gon opened his mouth to deny that, but he quickly closed it and thought for a moment. He knew he felt something else for Aurora, but he was not sure what.  
  
"I don't know," he finally answered, truthfully.  
  
Yoda nodded. "Fear not to care for her," Yoda told him.  
  
"It is against the rules of the Order," Qui-Gon protested.  
  
"As said it was by other friend of yours: 'What "Order"?' Gone is the Order. Gone is the Republic," Yoda told him, quoting Meelain, "Replaced by the Sith and the Empire they are."  
  
Qui-Gon opened his mouth to refute this, but Yoda continued.  
  
"Right about fall of the Republic and the destruction of the Order your friend was. Wondered, many did, if right she was about the other issue."  
  
"Do you think she was right?" Qui-Gon finally asked.  
  
"Question I still do. Know for sure I do not," he told Qui-Gon, "Care not your apprentices do. Wonder more this makes me."  
  
Qui-Gon allowed an amused smile to spread across his face, both of the young men he had taken on as Padawans had fallen in love. Anakin had fallen in love and married the former Senator and Queen a Naboo, Padmé Naderrie Amidala, they had twins, a boy and girl, Luke and Leia. When the council found out about the marriage there was a long debate. Meelain, who had been placed on the council just after the beginning of the war, had argued heavily on Anakin and Padmé's side.  
  
Obi-Wan, ironically, fell for Sabé, Padmé's handmaiden who would take her place when Padmé needed the protection for long periods of time. Sabé was the older sister of the woman who Obi-Wan's apprentice had been in love with.  
  
"Good to remember better times it is. Dwell on the bad times you should not," Yoda said seeing Qui-Gon's smile.  
  
"Every thing seems to lead to him, though, and his betrayal to the Jedi," Qui-Gon said, his brow furrowed.  
  
"Long time it will," Yoda nodded knowingly, "Not forever, though."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded, as he stared into the fire, knowing this was true.  
  
"Go find her you should," Yoda told Qui-Gon, poking him gently with his gimer stick. Qui-Gon allowed a brief smile to cross his face as he remembered the times that he had been whacked with that stick and been threatened with that stick. He was sure that most Jedi, who had trained under Yoda, had similar memories.  
  
"Go now you must," Yoda told him.  
  
Qui-Gon nodded slowly.  
  
"Where to look is the question," Qui-Gon murmured to himself as he set his half finished bowl of soup down.  
  
"Last place think you to look, first place, that is, to look," Yoda told him as Qui-Gon carefully got out of the hut.  
  
Qui-Gon stood up once out of the hut, he turned and faced Yoda, who was standing in the doorway.  
  
"Think I do, Qui-Gon, that revert back to the old ways we will when over this is. May the Force be with you, Qui-Gon," Yoda said, raising a hand in a claming gesture.  
  
Qui-Gon bowed. "And you, Master."  
  
Qui-Gon then turned and climbed aboard his ship.  
  
Qui-Gon thought about Yoda's suggestion to look in the last place he would expect Aurora to be, as he took off; the answer came to him just after he left the atmosphere.  
  
He punched in the coordinates and made the jump to light speed. As he watched the stars seemingly streak toward him he realized he had a ways to go and a lot on his mind.  
  
Qui-Gon closed his eyes tiredly and decided to get some sleep.  
  
As he drifted off the last thought to go through his mind was the one he had been trying to avoid thinking of: What if she is dead?  
  
~*~  
  
OK that's this part, hope you like it! As you probably figured out Aurora, Zed Agon and Meelain are all my characters, if I write the series about Qui Gon's youth you will get to know Zed and Meelain, Aurora you will get to know in this story. I know that the things that Yoda said weren't exactly things he would usually say, but currently in the story all is going to (excuse me for saying this if this offends anyone) hell, and, after all, this is an AU. So that's it: Like? Hate? Please tell me! *On knees, hands clasped together begging.* (Oh, and one more thing, if this doesn't make much sense I'm sorry. I get up around 4 or 5 most mornings and don't get to bed until after midnight most nights. I was up really late when I did this and was half asleep, but I had to get this down.) 


	7. Revelations

OK here's the next part. Sorry it took a while to get up.  
  
~*~  
  
Revelations  
  
Anakin sat across from Rast playing dejark and Anakin was beating him soundly. Dejark was a tactical game where it was imperative to think several moves ahead. Anakin's experience in the military gave him an edge in this area, the Force would have as well but Anakin considered that cheating, plus it took the fun out of the game. Anakin made his move that won him the game. Rast sat back and threw his hands in the air in defeat. "I give up!" he shouted, "That is the sixth game in a row that you have won! You play this game a lot?" "You could say that," Anakin said wryly, "I was in the wars. I did a lot of tactical work." "Ahh." Rast nodded his head in understanding, "Yes, war, the live dejark game." "The dejark game that is played with lives." Anakin was unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice when he said this. "You lost beings dear to you," Rast said, leaning forward. Anakin leaned back and reached for a datapad he had been working on before Rast had asked him to play dajark, he began to work on it again. "Lost a lot of beings," he told Rast evenly. "Many did." "But you lost people really close to you, I can tell," Rast said pointedly, "Perhaps close friends.family." With the word friends pain flashed in Anakin's eyes; with the word family that pain spread to his whole face. Rast knew that he had hit a very raw nerve and quickly backed off, cursing himself for pushing the subject. "Sorry Lars, I shouldn't have pried." "It's alright," Anakin said, trying to get his emotions under control. "I lost many good friends, one who was one of my best friends, I lost him to a fate worse than death. His wife, another of my good friend, I lost to even worse. My family was torn apart, they are scattered all over the galaxy and I don't know where most of them are." "You have a family?" Anakin nodded. "My wife and two children, a boy and a girl, twins. There is my stepbrother and his wife, they live on Tatooine, moisture farmers. My other stepbrother and his.fiancé. My wife's family: her mother and father, her sister and her sister's two girls." "What do you mean you lost a friend to a fate worse than death and his wife to and even worse one?" Rast asked, furrowing his brow. "I really don't want to talk about that, it had to do with betrayal," Anakin said seriously, "Could you pass me my bag? I need a tool from it." Rast picked up Anakin's bag, which was sitting beside him. As he passed it over the table all of the contents spilled out. "Blast! Sorry about that, Lars!" Rast said honestly. He began helping Anakin pick up all of his belongings, but he froze when he picked up a cylindrical object. Anakin noticed that Rast had stopped moving. He looked over at him, and froze as well. 'Sith spit!' was all he could think. Anakin swallowed, hard. "This is a lightsabre," Rast said looking at Anakin. Shock was naked on his face. "Are you going to turn me in?" Anakin asked him, his face calm. Rast barked with laughter and handed Anakin his lightsabre, handle first. "I couldn't turn you over to the Emperor and his minions any more than I could my own flesh and blood! My cousins were Jedi." "Were?" "One, Maril, was killed on Geonosis while protecting her master," Rast said, he looked down, "She was fourteen years old. Her twin sister, Malee and her master took her place guarding Maril's master. Malee and the two Masters showed up at our door and gave us her lightsabre and invited us to her funeral. Malee, her master, her younger brother, Heckt, and Maril's Master, who is Heckt's master now, are in hiding." Anakin nodded with realization. "I remember them, Master Karan took Malee on when she was eleven because of her potential with absorption and dissipation of energy. Master Nook took Maril on at eleven as well because of her empathic abilities with animals. Maril was the one who tossed me a lightsabre during that battle, she saved my wife's life as well as my own. We all went to her funeral. She was very brave." Rast looked up at Anakin. "For a fourteen year old?" he asked wryly. "No, for anyone," Anakin said firmly, "I have always felt honored to have known her." "Thank you," Rast said. Anakin placed a hand on Rast's shoulder. "I am Anakin Skywalker," he said, offering Rast his hand. Rast's eyes opened wider, obviously recognizing Anakin's name, as he accepted Anakin's hand. "So you are the Jedi who married former Senator Padmé Amidala. Malee spoke of you. She said that you were exactly like your maser, Qui-Gon Jinn, a bit of a rebel." "So I've been told.repeatedly," Anakin said dryly. "I take it that means that the reason your family is so scattered is for their protection." Anakin nodded. "Can I ask you a question?" "You just did but you can ask me another," Anakin quipped. "This may be a sensitive subject, but the friend you lost to a fate worse than death, involving betrayal, was he Lord Vader?" "No, the friend I lost was my cousin Martel Trist. Darth Vader destroyed Martel," Anakin said flatly. Rast nodded, understanding what he was saying. "In betraying the Jedi, his friends, his family, his master.and his wife, he betrayed himself." "Darth Vader trapped Lanaia Trist in a position she can't get out of." Bitterness seeped into his voice. Rast nodded. "I take it you are going to Ord Mantel to go into hiding?" Anakin nodded. "And I also take it that you have no love for the Empire?" Anakin nodded again. "Good, neither do I. Well maybe I can give you another option?" Anakin nodded slowly for him to continue. "Well I am a member of a group that is gathering together to fight against the Empire. We are a small underground movement and we recruit where we can. Our goal is to eventually overthrow the Empire," Rast explained, "Interested?" Anakin thought for a moment, rolling the idea around in his head, it felt right. "Yeah," Anakin said, nodding, "I will join your rebellion." Rast offered Anakin his hand, which Anakin took. "Welcome to the Rebel Alliance, Anakin Skywalker."  
  
~*~  
  
If you can't guess I made Maril, Malee, Master Karan, Master Nook, Heckt and Rast up. And I borrowed the phrase "You just did, but you can ask me another," from I, Jedi. Anywho, I hope you like! 


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